Frozen: Legacy
by Espiritu Invictus
Summary: How Elsa's family came to the throne long ago may be the undoing of the Queen herself as those who have been wronged seek revenge. Elsa will find her fate tied to a certain individual who has sworn to put an end to her reign. Strange and cruel rituals, mysterious lands, and a man with a frozen heart will just be a taste of what is to come. Read and Review, please!
1. A New Adventure

_**Author's Note: This is a rewrite of a story called Snowpiercer, A Frozen Story. I wasn't happy with the way it was turning out so I decided to rewrite it. The first chapter reuses most of the content from the previous story, but afterward, the material will be brand-new.**_

 **Chapter One**

 **A New Adventure**

It was a warm, peaceful night in Arendelle, but there was nothing peaceful about the Queen's sleep that night. Elsa was no stranger to bad dreams, sleepless nights, and restless anxiety, but much of that had dissipated over the past year with the unveiling of her true self to the world. Being able to reconnect with her sister had brought so much peace to her life, but slowly, the darkness began to crawl back into her dreams.

Elsa twisted and turned in her bed while the same few words stirred over and over again in her mind. Her lips softly began to utter the words in her sleep, "Beware the frozen heart. Beware the frozen heart."

 _Those words howled in the icy wind that stormed through Elsa's dreams. Her dreams took her somewhere high into the jagged, snowy mountains—mountains that she had never seen before. Her sight swept across the mountain range and valleys on the windy current to a high mountain cliff. It was high up, unsheltered from the storm, and the focal point to where her dreams carried her._

 _At the side of the cliff stood a small cluster of people huddled together. They stood before three large stones that were positioned at the edge of the cliff. The stone in the middle was twice as tall as any man there and intricately carved with runes and pictographs. Two smaller, but unmarked, stones, flanked each side of the middle stone. The area in front of the stones seemed to be worn down from years of usage and gatherings much like the one held at that moment. The bitter cold struck at the flesh of the living present among the standing stones. There were precious few there, but still, a few for such an occasion as today._

 _Most were covered in their wrappings, leather, and furs to keep warm, but they showed no outward sign of being chilled or cold. Though their thick beards were frosted over, the men gathered there stood stoically waiting for the ritual to begin._

 _One man stood before the stones while the others watched him intently. He was large man, taller than all those present with a wide, barreled chest and thick muscular arms. His long, thick, wavy, almost pure white, hair flowed freely down to his shoulders, and his white beard flowed even longer. Between the spaces of white hair on his face, his skin had the most unusual tint—light blue. His left eye was like a bright blue flame that glowed in the snowy haze, but his right eye was covered in wrappings. This one-eyed man stepped forward to begin the proceedings. The very first thing he did was take off the light fur jacket that he wore to reveal his bare torso. The cold, wet wind immediately struck him, but it did not faze him whatsoever. All of his skin bore the odd blue tint, but along with that, there was a collection of scars, tattoos, and brandings over his body._

 _Those present marveled at the man's ability withstand the deadly chill in the air. Each of them kneeled in respect to their leader. His hair and beard had already frosted over, but he shook the ice and snow off as he raised his arms towards his men to address them. "Today, another will take the oath!" His voice boomed across the snowy valley._

 _At this point, Elsa's view of the events that unfolded next blurred together in the haze of the storm. From among the crowd of men came a young boy—perhaps twelve or thirteen. He stood pensively before the giant man and held out his hand. The man quickly grabbed it and ripped off the glove the boy was wearing. A glint of silver flashed and suddenly drops of red blood appeared in the snow before their feet. The large man pulled the young boy by the wrist before the kid could holler in pain from the slash across his palm. The man shoved the boy's bloody palm onto the middle standing stone. The runes and carvings began to glow with a white light._

 _"Say the words, boy!" The man barked. "Take the oath of the Frozen-Heart!"_

 _The boy began to speak but Elsa could not make out the words over the howl of the wind. After a few moments, the boy stopped speaking and pulled his hand off the stone._

 _The man leading the ritual raised his arm and slapped the boy across the head. The boy flew face first into the ground, surprised that he was struck. He reached up to touch his reddening face for a moment, but the man quickly reached down, snatched him by the clothing, and yanked him up to his feet._

 _Elsa's heart beat faster as she watched the scene unfold. She didn't know what was said or why the man seemed so angry at the boy, but it pained her heart to watch. The man pulled the boy towards the edge of the cliff. He yelled for a few moments more and then turned away towards the spectators._

 _The boy looked at his bloody hand as he stood at the edge of the chasm. The chasm below was filled with the snowstorm. Nothing could be seen below. The wind howled through the silence between the men there._

 _And then what Elsa saw next horrified her. The man who led the ritual turned around swiftly and kicked the boy in the back. With a panicked scream, the boy fell into the snowy mist of the chasm and disappeared from sight._

Elsa flew up out of bed gasping for air. A panged moan escaped her lips, and she clutched her hand over her chest to ease her pounding heart. "It was just a dream. It was just dream," She quietly repeated to herself. Once she could open her eyes, she noticed the explosion of frost covering her bed, going up the nearby walls, and across the floor spreading from the epicenter of her bed. She let out a deep, anguished sigh as tears escaped from the corner of each blue eye. The only thought that came to her mind clearly was "Beware the frozen heart."

* * *

Elsa propped her tired head up with her hand and an elbow on her large desk. The Queen's study was a large room full of books, parchments, maps, and various collectibles from the long history of monarchs who had graced the study before her. After glancing around the room at the various treasures—the hand-crafted globe from the Kingdom of Trent, the model of a long-ship from that hailed from her ancestors long ago, the heavy purple drapes spun from the finest fabrics of the Orient, and the beautiful portraits on the wall painted by some of the most talented men and women of Europe.

She shook head, trying to snap out of her tired daze. She had work to do so she dipped her quill into an inkwell and continued writing her message to the royal family in Iberia for the recent loss of their Queen mother. _"I wish to offer you my deepest condolences for your loss_." She paused for a moment as the warm afternoon sunlight flooded over her. She looked up towards the fireplace in the room. Above it rested a fine portrait of her father and mother, finished not long after their untimely deaths. Elsa's eyes drifted back to the parchment. " _I know that there are no words that can ease the grief in your hearts, but I sincerely hope that you are comforted in this time by the warm thoughts of those around you._ " After a few more sentences, she signed her name at the bottom and sealed the parchment with the official seal of Arendelle.

Another letter finished, and only seventeen more to answer. Elsa sighed as she looked at the stacks of parchments and piles of scrolls waiting for her attention. No matter how diligent she was to keep up with the demands, it always seemed like more came. She gently sighed as the situation reminded her of an old story her father used to read to her—Hercules and the Hydra. When one head was cut off, two would grow back. She glanced at the letters—when one was answered, two more arrived.

A knock came at the door of the study. The Queen looked up. "Yes, Kai?" She almost winced at the sight of him, wondering if he had more letters to deliver.

"Your Majesty, I wished to remind you of your appointment…"

"Stormhold!" Elsa dropped her quill, splotching ink over the top of her desk. Her eyes darted over to the tall grandfather clock in her study. Elsa quickly pushed her parchments and books aside and began cleaning up the mess.

"I'll take care of it, your Majesty." Kai came forward to begin cleaning up the mess. "I've already prepared the conference room for your use."

Elsa gave a small sigh of a relief, a smile creeping up on her tired face. "What would Arendelle do without you, Kai?"

"I imagine it would meet disaster by nightfall," He chuckled, heartily.

Elsa smiled, knowing how right he was, and bid Kai goodbye with a small nod. She walked speedily, for Queens do not run, down the hallways and stairwells of the palace to reach the first floor. Guests were frequently entertained in the conference room adjacent to the grand foyer and staircase.

"Your Majesty!" Two palace guards saluted her as she approached the large oak doors of the conference room. She nodded her head slightly, and they opened the doors for her.

The large wooden doors opened to the lavishly decorated conference room. Carpets as blue as the sea sprawled across the floor while the walls were trimmed in the finest dark woods and intricate carvings for which Arendelle was so famously known. The warm afternoon sunlight poured into the room from the large windows on the west wall. The spacious room contained lots of comfortable sofas and armchairs, desks and tables for examining documents and maps, and plenty of smaller tables decorated with finely woven doilies for taking tea. The room was empty. Thank goodness!

Elsa's eyes instinctively went to the grandfather clock. She had a couple of minutes to spare. Four chairs were organized around a round coffee table with a silver tea set. She sat down in the closest chair and looked at the empty one next to her. Anna was supposed to be here. Elsa paused in thought for a moment, feeling a twinge of guilt twist her stomach. She had barely seen Anna in the past couple of days. She had been so busy with trade agreements and revising tax laws that she had forgotten to connect with Anna.

A knock struck against the door. Elsa, sighed as she rose. Anna never knocked, so that could only mean that it was the delegation from Stormhold—right on time, of course. (The people of Stormhold were known for their punctuality.) The Queen quickly smoothed out her long teal dress then reached up to make sure the strains of her platinum blonde hair were in their proper place as well. She gently cleared her throat. "You may enter."

Kai, servant to the royal family for many years, extended his arm forward, ushering in two finely dressed gentlemen. "Your Majesty," He bowed when he saw his Queen. "I present, Prince Severin and Ambassador Volker of Stormhold."

The Prince, dressed in a dark blue jacket trimmed in gold and red, came forward and bowed to the Queen. The Queen returned the gesture with a small bow of her head and a curtsy. "Please sit down, gentlemen." She motioned her hand towards the armchairs across from her. She took her seat as well.

"May I offer you gentlemen some tea?" Elsa motioned to the silver tea set sitting on the small table between them. When they both complied, Kai began preparing the tea for the company.

"Rumor has it that the Queen of Arendelle thoroughly enjoys her tea," The Ambassador spoke up, as he received his cup and saucer from Kai.

Elsa was about to take a drink, but she paused. "Usually, I dismiss rumors as not worth my time and concern, but this one, I cannot deny," She smiled, graciously.

The Ambassador gave a polite chuckle and nodded. "It is good to know that the chamomile tea that we have brought for your Majesty's pleasure will not go to waste."

"Thank you for your generosity. It most certainly will not." Elsa took another sip of her tea. The Ambassador, who she had only met once previously, seemed cordial enough, but the Prince remained rather quiet, yet attentive to the conversation thus far.

The Prince sat in his seat, holding his saucer on his lap while leaning back into the plush chair. His gaze remained rather uncomfortably fixed on Elsa herself.

Elsa avoided the gaze of his earthy brown eyes and set her tea in her lap, but still, it was her duty to make conversation. "I hear it is your first time to Arendelle, Prince Severin."

"Ah, yes," The Prince spoke up as if he were not shy at all. "It is the first time I've had the privilege of visiting this beautiful country. Forgive me for relying on rumors once again, your Majesty, but I've also heard it said that, 'the only thing that rivals the beauty of Arendelle's fjords is the beauty of its Queen.' Now, I see this rumor to be quite true."

The cheeks of Elsa's porcelain white skin flushed. "You are much too kind, Prince Severin." She took this moment to stir in more sugar to her cup of tea—a lot more sugar.

The Ambassador quivered as he felt a sudden chill run up his spine. He mumbled a quiet apology, looked around the room, and then continued drinking his tea.

Prince Severin reached up and stroked his charcoal black beard and mustache, propping his elbow on the armrest and leaning in further. His steely gaze remained upon the Queen.

Elsa glanced up for a moment, to check if the Prince was still staring, and he was, so she averted her eyes once more. She could hardly stir any more sugar into the tea so she pulled the spoon out and looked up to Ambassador Volker. "I assume that you requested this meeting to discuss some matter of business, Ambassador. Is everything well at the Stormhold Embassy?"

"Ah well," The Ambassador sat up in his seat. "When I found out the Prince was going to pay us a visit…"

"I requested to have an audience with the Queen of Arendelle," The Prince said.

"Oh, is that so?" Elsa said. "What can I do for you, your Highness?"

"I'm glad you asked," Prince Severin sat up in his chair with a bold smile. "My short time in Arendelle has given me the privilege of experiencing the wonders of this tiny Kingdom. Stormhold and Arendelle have enjoyed cordial relations in the past, but I think it is the time that stronger alliances and bonds are formed between our two kingdoms."

Elsa tried her best to keep her attention on the Prince, but the way his eyes seemed to bore a hole right into her, she sought relief anyway possible by glancing around at random objects in the room, down to her shoes, or to the silver tea set on the table. Maybe she should add some more tea to her cup of sugar?

"And how would you propose our two kingdoms create a stronger alliance?" She asked, trying to sound casual.

"By just that," Prince Severin said. "A proposal."

She should have seen that one coming.

The Prince sat on the edge of his seat and leaned in towards the Queen. "I would like to see our two kingdoms united in marriage. As the second son to King Conrad of Stormhold, I would be honored to unite with Arendelle's queen in marriage." He kept his chocolate brown eyes on her, waiting for a response.

Elsa quickly put her tea cup to her lips, only to find that her sugar tea was frozen solid.

The fireplace started flickering wildly. Both the Ambassador and the Prince glanced around the room. The Prince exhaled and then watched his breath float out before him.

"Oh my," was all the Ambassador could say, looking around the room nervously.

Elsa's chair and completely frozen over, covered in a thin layer of sparkly frost. She hastily set her teacup and saucer down on the silver tea tray. "I'm sorry about that…" She stuttered. "I'll take care of it." She waved her hand out in front of her to warm the temperature of the room. Instead, she froze over the entire tea set and table.

"I see." The Prince slowly put his tea set down on the frozen table and then leaned back. He rose from his chair and the Ambassador quickly followed. "Thank you for hosting us for tea, your Majesty, but we really must be returning to the Embassy now. We have much work to do there if we are to get our trade ships out of port by winter."

"Oh, well, I…um…" Elsa stammered. "I understand. The needs of the people never cease."

"Ah, yes, indeed they do not," The Prince said, slowly backing away.

"Enjoy the chamomile tea, your Majesty," Ambassador Volker backed away in tow with the Prince. He bowed as he came close to the door.

Before Elsa really could process what happened, the two guests from Stormhold had already left the room. She glanced around for a moment. The tea tray and her seat were still frozen. She sighed and waved her hand, unfreezing them.

The grandfather clock struck three o'clock. This had to be a new record of scaring foreign dignitaries away from the palace. At least Anna wasn't here to tease her about it. Elsa put her head in her hands.

"Is everything alright, your Majesty?" Kai entered the room, even before the doors could stop swinging from the Prince and Ambassador's exit.

"Yes, everything is alright." She sighed and put her hands down in her lap. She looked up at Kai with a renewed, but forced, smile; however, she immediately frowned at the sight of his solemn face. "What's wrong?"

"Your Majesty, your sister wishes to see you. She says it's urgent," Kai said.

"Did she say what she wanted?" Elsa stood up from her seat.

"No, your Majesty. She sent one of the maids to come for me first. She said that your presence was required in her bedchambers."

Elsa's eyebrows furrowed even more. The last time Anna requested for the Queen's presence urgently was when she had broken one of palace statues and felt horribly guilty about it.

Kai led the way to Princess Anna's room. They arrived at Anna's bedchambers with a whole crowd of maids and servants crowding the doorway. Kai announced the Queen's presence, and the maids and staff scurried out of the way. Elsa came into the room and saw her sister lying in bed.

"You look horrible," Elsa gasped.

"Thanks, Els." Anna said, sounding like someone was pinching her nose. Her puffy red eyes contrasted horribly with her unusually pale white skin. A few of the servant girls continued moving around the floor, trying to clean up after Anna's sick.

"Oh, Anna, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Elsa bit her lip. Oh, why hadn't she checked on Anna earlier?

"Didn't want to worry you," Anna sniffled. "I thought I'd be able to pull through it, you know: get some rest, stay inside, drink some tea—obviously not."

Elsa pushed through the horrid smell and sat down on the bed next to Anna. She put her hand over her sister's warm forehead and brushed the locks of strawberry red hair out of Anna's face.

"I'm so sorry, Els. I know you were counting on me and…"

"Hush," Elsa said. "I'm sure it wasn't your intention to fall ill." Elsa's eyes narrowed, playfully. "Or was it?"

"You know me," Anna half-coughed half-snickered at the same time. "But seriously, what are we going to do? I missed the appointment with Stormhold…"

"You didn't miss much there," Elsa glanced away. The only thing Anna missed was a perfectly good story to tease Elsa with for the rest of their lives.

"…and I'm not going to be able to go to Albion," Anna reached up and blew her nose.

Elsa sighed and looked out the window for a moment. Anna was set to sail tomorrow for Albion. It was the Princess' first diplomatic mission, one that would be of importance to both kingdoms if everything went well.

"You know how those Albion Royals are," Anna continued. "They get really offended over the slightest things. If I don't show up there, they probably won't talk to us ever again."

"There are worse things in the world." Elsa continued to dote on her sister. "I suppose I'll have to go in your stead."

Anna's eyes opened wide. "Are you sure? I mean, wasn't the whole reason of me going in the first place was so I could help you out?"

"Yes, and when you're well again, I'll make sure I put you to good use." The Queen playfully poked Anna's shoulder. "I don't like the idea of leaving you behind when you're sick though."

"Oh, I'll be fine." Anna waved her hand. "Kristoff and Olaf can look after me. Plus, you know, Kai and Gerda are always here."

"Fine. You'll just have to tell that mountain man of yours to get down here and take care of you instead of chasing after the next ice haul," Elsa teased.

"And who was it that named him _Royal Ice Master and Deliverer_?"

"You do have a point there."

Anna laughed heartily until her sore throat got the best of her. She coughed for a few moments before settling down.

"Easy, now." The Queen stopped chuckling.

Anna sighed contently as her eyelids started to droop. "Kristoff's a good man. He always takes care of me."

"And for that, I like him." The Queen pulled the quilt over Anna higher.

Anna closed her eyes, feeling exhaustion overtake her. "I hope you can find someone like Kristoff, Els."

Elsa tensed. "Um…"

"You know," Anna yawned. "…someone who will love you always and take care of you when you need it."

"That's what I have you for, little sister." Elsa stood up and tucked the quilt around her sister's body tighter.

"That's not…" Anna yawned again. "…what I mean."

"Sleep, Anna."

"Okay." Anna was out like a blown candle.

Elsa towered above her sister and watched as her baby sister fell into deep slumber. She then turned back towards the door. She instructed the castle staff to take care of Anna, and then she headed to her own bedchambers. She had packing to do if she was to be ready to sail for Albion by morning.

* * *

The Queen, wearing a dark blue traveling dress with silver buttons and clasps, stood waiting in the grand foyer of the palace early that morning. The sun had barely woken up, but Elsa was scheduled to leave at the crack of dawn. However, her sister had no concept of what sunrise meant. Elsa stood in the large foyer waiting for her sister to come and say goodbye.

"Your Majesty, your belongings have already been taken down to the docks. They are being loaded as we speak." Kai said while moving past her to attend to another task.

The Queen nodded. "Thank you, Kai."

Like many other rooms of the palace, the grand foyer was filled with colorful paintings and portraits of long deceased family members. As Elsa gently paced down the wall, she stopped before one particular painting.

A man, bearing similar features to her father, stood proud and regal with a crown upon his head and the royal scepter in his hands. Elsa, too, held these items at her own coronation as well as her father and those who came before. His hair was darker and so were his eyes, but the cheekbones left no doubt. This man was an echo of Elsa's past. Elsa's eyes trailed downward to the golden plaque placed on the wood frame: _King Leifr Tryggvason, First King of the Saffron Dynasty_. This was beginning of Elsa's family as rulers of Arendelle.

The doors at the top of the stairs cracked open. Elsa turned and looked up the staircase.

"Easy now, your Highness. Easy." Gerda said as she hovered over Princess Anna, making sure the girl didn't trip and fall over the stairs.

A bemused smirk appeared on Elsa's face as she watched her sister, walking like a zombie, approach. The younger girl's hair shot up in all directions, and her eyes seemed sewn shut. "I really think you should have let me come to your room," Elsa called out.

"Non…sense," Anna yawned between syllables. She reached the end of the end of the stairs and rubbed her tired eyes. "My sister is going on a trip. The least I could do…"

"…is drag yourself out of bed when you have the flu," Elsa interjected, crossing arms over her chest.

Anna wrapped her robe tighter around her body. "I wanted to say goodbye," She paused for a moment, biting her lip. "…properly."

Elsa gently sighed, feeling grief and compassion wash over her all at once. Without words, the two sisters embrace one another tightly.

Anna nuzzled her head into the crook of Elsa's neck. "Please come back to me," Anna said, barely above a whisper, echoing the fear of losing yet another loved one to the sea.

"I will." The forming tears in Elsa's blue eyes froze before they could roll down her face. After a few more moments of tenderness, Elsa pulled away, running her hands down Anna's arms. She then reached up and adjusted the collar of Anna's robes. "Please do not burn the castle down while I am absent."

"No promises," Anna said, sniffling from her cold. "Especially with this fever and all."

"No wild parties either."

"It wouldn't be a wild party without you."

Elsa smirked. "Take care of yourself."

"I love you," Anna was overcome with her emotions, letting two tears roll down her sickly reddened cheeks. Elsa repeated those three words back.

"Your Majesty," Kai approached. "Are you ready for your escort down to the docks?"

Elsa turned to him and nodded. "Yes, I'm ready." She gave her sister one last smile and left with a polite bow.

The docks were brimming with life and energy. Conversations, business deals, and laughter filled the air as the people of Arendelle worked diligently to support their families and their country. They, of course, found time to take a break when they saw that their beloved monarch was passing through the crowds.

At the far end of the docks, the HMS Falken awaited Her Majesty. It was a fine brig with two very tall masts that reached high up into the blue sky; the clean, white sails looked like the clouds above. The crew of the ship was neatly dressed in forest green coats trimmed in purple and gold, white pants, black boots, and small black caps. The small crew of twelve was a fine example of Arendelle's Royal Navy.

Once the crew heard the news that the Queen was approaching, they doubled their efforts and worked to make sure that everything was perfect. Elsa began her ascent up the loading ramp of the ship.

A short and wiry man, with greying hair and beard, reached out his hand as Elsa approached. She reached out and took it, allowing herself to be helped onto the ship. "Welcome, aboard, your Majesty," The man said.

"Thank you."

"The name's Captain Algren, your Majesty." He bowed to her. "The Falken, the men, and I are all at your service."

The crew, who were bustling up and down the deck, stopped and bowed to the Queen. "Your Majesty," they chorused in unison before returning to work.

"The Falken is ready to depart when you are, your Majesty." He began walking across the deck, motioning for the Queen to follow him. "Depending on the seas, we should arrive in Albion within four to six days."

"Good," Elsa said. "Let's set sail as soon as possible." Elsa looked back to the docks—they should leave before she could change her mind about this whole sailing business and run back to land, she thought.

"Right, your Majesty." The Captain extended his arm. "Let me show you to your quarters and then we'll be off."

Despite being Queen for a little over a year now, she still could be humbled by the display of loyalty and kindness her subjects showed her. She was given the Captain's quarters as her room for the trip, and her belongings were properly moved and carefully placed inside.

After taking the Queen to her quarters for the journey, the Captain left the room and immediately started hollering for the sails to be let loose. Elsa heard the furious stopping of feet run up and down the deck as the sailors obeyed their captain.

Elsa sat down on the rich red velvet blanket that covered the bed. She didn't like sailing, that's for sure, but she sure wasn't going to sit in this room the whole trip. Quickly, Elsa got up and started scrambling through her trunks. The Queen hurriedly tore out of her thick traveling dress and found something more appropriate for being up on deck with the sailors. She put on a pair of grey leggings with a royal blue skirt. A loose flowing white shirt adored her upper body along with a leather girdle strapped around her midsection. She slipped on a pair of short leather boots and headed out the door to the deck.

The ship was already beginning to maneuver out of his position at the docks. The gentle morning wind started to tickle her face.

"Full sails!"

Elsa stood for a moment, watching the crew scurry around the decks, pulling and tugging at long ropes that reached high up into the ship's sails. Elsa took her first step forward gingerly, but with each step, she grew bolder. The crew started to notice that the Queen was on deck. Surprised looks would appear on their faces at the sight of her, but they often would quickly settle into a smile.

The sails were quickly up, and the ship started speeding into Arendelle's harbor. The tall snowy peaks that walled the fjord off looked stunning in the morning sunlight. Elsa went to the starboard side of the deck and leaned over, looking into the water. Her eyes then turned forward, as her locks of platinum blonde hair started to dance across her forehead. In the distance, where the mountains ended, she could see the deep blue sea. She took a deep contented breath of fresh air. Perhaps this little adventure to Albion wouldn't be so bad after all.


	2. Into the Mist

**Chronicles of Stormblade**

 **Chapter Two, Into the Mist**

 _It was dark, and she was standing in her little blue nightgown. She clutched onto her father's leg, terrified—terrified that she had hurt her sister beyond repair and terrified that she damaged the relationship she had with her parents. Still, she couldn't help but hold onto the man whom she called papa._

 _"Your Majesty," A round-faced stone troll bowed before her father while taking ahold of her own hand. "Born with the powers? Or cursed?"_

 _"B-born," The King stuttered. "And they're getting stronger."_

 _The worried Queen kneeled. She held onto her little daughter tightly, but presented her before the trolls._

 _Grand Pabbie placed his hand on Anna's forehead and soon, he worked his magic—reshaping Anna's memories to know about Elsa's magic no more._

 _Elsa's little heart sunk even further, if it were possible. The one thing that Anna seemed to love the most about her would be gone. No more freezing over the great hall, no more snowball fights in the summer, no more skating down the hallways, and no more snowmen. "But she won't remember I have powers?" Elsa spoke up._

 _"It's for the best," The King said, gently, placing a reassuring hand on his daughter's shoulder._

 _Grand Pabbie turned slowly, sighing heavily. "Listen to me, Elsa. Your power will only grow." Is hands rose to the sky and swirls of color and light begun to dance from his hands._

 _The young girl's eyes melded into the images. While the others saw swirls and outlines of a story taking place, Elsa saw the future. She saw herself, older and more mature, using her powers to create such beautiful works of art._

 _"There is beauty in it…" The old troll said. "But there is also great danger."_

 _The swirling hues of blues, greens, and whites turned into violent shades of purple and red. Suddenly, she was surrounded by hostile forces wishing to seek her life._

 _"You must learn to control it. Fear will be your enemy."_

 _The dark colors swarmed around her and overtook her._

 _Elsa let out a gasp and tucked her head into her father's embrace._

 _The images were gone for everyone else, but they still burned in Elsa's eyes. Grey mists swirled in her mind's eye. Far away in the darkness was a pair of glowing eyes—eyes that glowed the most beautiful but unnatural blue. The owner of the eyes approached with heavy footsteps towards her._

 _"Beware the frozen heart," The mist whispered to her._

 _"No!" The King exclaimed. "We'll protect her." She can learn to control it, I'm sure." Elsa jolted back into reality from hearing her father's strong and determined voice._

 _"Til then, we lock the gates."_

 _Beware the Frozen Heart—_ those words echoed in Elsa's heart as she stirred in bed. She then noticed the gentle rocking back and forth of the ocean. Her eyes flew open, glancing around the room. The Captain's quarters were dark and quiet, save for the crashing waves. It was a small, but cozy room, filled with trunks and storage containers, books, a globe, a small couch and some push chairs to meet with guests, and even a grand writing desk where the Captain spent most of his time pouring over ledgers, maps, and documents. The bed in the corner where she lay was small as well but warm and comfortable. Even though it was her second night in the Captain's cabin, it still felt strange to wake up there. Captain Algren was so kind to let her stay here during the trip, but it never quite felt like home to her.

Elsa continued to lay in bed, just staring at the wood cross-work ceiling above her. Had she not come full circle? Had she not, for the most part, beside the occasional accident or two, learn to control her powers? Her mind replayed that horrible night as a child over and over again. Grand Pabbie told her the future—two destinies that could possibly happen: one of her learning to her control her powers and to harness its beauty and the other letting fear overtake her. Pabbie wove his magic to show her the future, but she remembered how visions continued to burn in her sight even after closing her eyes. She saw things that night even after no one else did.

Elsa closed her eyes again. She concentrated, trying to remember what she saw after she closed her eyes those many years ago. What was it exactly that she saw that nobody else did? It was difficult to remember—almost like a fog or a mist had clouded her brain. Soon, a pair of glowing eyes appeared. How could anything be that blue? It reminded her of her own magic—a beautiful glow that would light up the night. Footsteps echoed through the mist of her memory as the pair of glowing eyes seemed to come closer. Soon, a dark silhouette appeared in the mist—tall, large, and imposing.

That was all she saw before she gasped in fear and jolted fully awake. Moments later, as Elsa's heart was still pounding, one of the sailors on deck hollered "full sails, lads!" from above. She flopped her hands to her sides and figured she better get out of bed and start the day instead of dwelling on the past.

* * *

Late morning proved to be more enjoyable with fair weather and good breakfast. Some flatbrød settled her stomach from the nerves and seasickness she had earlier that morning. After getting her bearings, Elsa made her way up to the quarterdeck to join Captain Algren for morning tea.

Captain Algren stood at the helm, grasping onto the large ship wheel gently. "Good morning, your Majesty!" He called happily then continued to hum to himself a common sea shanty.

"Good morning, Captain Algren." Elsa pulled up her skirt a bit as she walked up the stairs. "How are we fairing?"

"Excellent, your Majesty, just excellent. We've got a nice, steady tailwind giving us a push this morning."

Elsa then noticed that the ship did indeed seem to be traveling faster than usual.

"If we have winds like this all the way through, we'll reach Albion by tomorrow night I'd say." The Captain said.

"You know that means that the men will be asking for liberty then," The First Mate of the ship, Rolf, chimed into the conversation. He had been studying maps nearby, but his attention turned to the Queen and the Captain.

Elsa looked back and forth trying for a moment, trying to guess what he meant by _liberty_. "Do you mean that they'll want to go off-duty for a while in Albion?"

Rolf nodded. "Yes, your Majesty, that's the sum of it."

The Captain laughed at his First Mate's serious demeanor. "Oh, Rolf, they're good lads!"

He crossed his arms over his chest. "It's not them I'm worried about. It's that cesspool of a capital were going to in Albion."

Elsa had heard stories before. "Is it really that bad?"

The Captain thought for a moment before answering. "Parts of it, I suppose. Albion is a small country like Arendelle but with a large population and a whole lot of influence in the world." He turned the ship wheel a bit. "They say that the sun never sets on the Albion Empire."

Elsa pondered on the information for a moment. "It sounds like you're a well-traveled man, Captain Algren."

"Indeed, your Majesty." He agreed. "Albion, Volterra, Stormhold, Weaslton, Balta, Corona, the Southern Isles, you name it. All in service to the crown." He gentled nodded in her direction.

"What's been your favorite place so far, Captain?"

"Arendelle," He smiled. The Queen smiled too. "There's no place like the fjords of Arendelle— coming across the bends into the bay, seeing the smoke from the chimney of my home as I approach the docks, having my wife, children, and grandchildren waiting for me after a long journey at sea…" He trailed off wistfully.

"That sounds wonderful, Captain." Talking like this made Elsa think of her own home—her sister, Kai and Gerda, Olaf, and even Kristoff and Sven. She had barely been two days out to sea, but she missed them already. She turned forward as the conversation lulled and looked out into the open waters.

* * *

Elsa spent all of the afternoon in the Captain's quarters at the desk. Just as she would in Arendelle, the Queen spent a lot of time at desks pouring over documents that pertained to matters of state. She used the time to revise the new trade agreements she hoped could be struck with Albion on this trip. After taking a hit last year by cutting off Weselton, new agreements needed to be pursued earnestly, and brokering a freer trade alliance between Albion and Arendelle might be what was needed to finally put Arendelle ahead.

Maybe it was better that she was going on this trip instead of Anna. Elsa frowned at the thought of her sister needing to be sick to make that happen though. Not that Anna couldn't have handled the assignment and relayed the Queen's message well, but the more she thought of it, more aggressive negotiations may be in order—a specialty of Elsa's. It didn't hurt that her ice powers made other nations think twice before double-crossing her or Arendelle. She smirked at the thought. At least her powers were good for something productive.

Her thoughts were disrupted by a loudly chiming bell from above. Usually, the bell went off when storms were approaching. Elsa looked around the cabin for a moment. The Captain's inkwell slowly slid across the desk. The room did indeed seem to be rocking back and forth. Elsa put down the quill in her hand and headed to the door.

A cool, watery gush of wind struck her in the face immediately after opening the door to the deck. The sailors aboard scurried about trying to position the sails and anchor down loose objects on deck.

"Captain Algren?" Elsa called out. She headed up the small stairs to get a look at the helm. He was busy along with his First Mate, Rolf, giving quick orders to the crew. Thunder rumbled through the skies. Elsa turned back, looking towards the bow out into the open sea before them. A fast storm was approaching on the horizon.

As another bolt of lightning struck the distant waters, the memory of her parents flashed before her. She headed up to the quarterdeck quickly, grabbing onto the railing leading up. It frosted over. She quickly pulled her hand off it.

"What's the status on the cargo balance?" Rolf hollered out to one of the sailors.

"All good! Everything's in place!"

"Are the sails tied down yet?"

"Almost, sir!"

Captain Algren turned the wheel back and forth to account for the high waves that were coming at them. He noticed the Queen approaching but continued to steer. "Your Majesty, the weather has taken a turn for the worse. You would be safest if you remain in your quarters for now." He pulled hard right to counter steer.

"How dangerous is this storm coming?"

The Captain took a moment to answer. "She's a big one, but I've seen worse."

Lightning flashed in the not too far distance and shortly after came the pounding of thunder. Elsa clutched her cold hands together.

"Rolf." The Captain noted the unusually pale look on the Queen's face. "Please escort the Queen back to the Captain's quarters and make her comfortable." He gently smiled, trying to put Elsa at ease.

"Aye, Captain." Rolf stopped his immediate task and gently placed his hand on the Queen's arm. "If you would come with me, your Majesty."

"Yes," She nodded, careful not to touch Rolf with her nervous icy hands. "Thank you."

Rolf did as he was ordered and took the Queen back to the Captain's quarters. It was much safer down there than being on deck with the crashing waves frapping against the hull of the ship or the sudden gusts of wind that could nearly carry a man off into the sky. She kept one lantern lit and secured it to a hanging mechanism from the ceiling. It would probably be best to take her mind of the storm outside by reading one of the books off the Captain's shelf. _Robinson Crusoe_ —perhaps a little too close to home. _Don Quixote_ —it'd have to do. She began the tale of the self-proclaimed Knight of La Mancha. It did indeed seem to take her mind off what was happening outside, but sometimes she'd have to stop reading for a moment, just to her bearings from the rocking of the boat. It seemed like hours passed before Elsa drifted off to sleep in the bed with an open book at her side.

* * *

When Elsa woke the next morning, still in yesterday's clothes and with an open book under her arm. It was still somewhat dark in the room, but it appeared that some light was pouring into the room through the windows. Elsa sat up in bed and rubbed her head. It was a restless sleep that left her feeling just as tired as before. One thing she had noticed though is that the boat wasn't rocking anymore.

Perhaps the proper royal would freshen herself up and change first, but Elsa decided to head up to the deck to see what was happening. It felt like she had slept forever, and perhaps the storm was over now. She tucked her out of place strands of hair behind her ear and immediately headed out the door.

There was nothing but fog. It was thick and heavy—almost oppressive feeling—and it instantly chilled to the bone. How odd, Elsa noticed. By virtue of who she was, the cold _never_ bothered her. She could walk into the middle of a blizzard in a summer dress and not feel the slightest bit of a chill. This, however, was different. It wasn't that it was cold, per say, but it made her heart beat with trepidation. It was eerily quiet, save for the bell that swung back and forth with the waves. As she moved onto the deck level, she began to see the sailors.

They were red-eyed, pale-faced, and chilled to the bone, yet they continued to man their posts on the ship diligently. Their icy exhales poured out of their nostrils and filled the air, but their faces lit up with smiles at the sight of their Queen. She greeted and thanked them all before making her away up to the quarterdeck to see the Captain.

"Hello, your Majesty." He said, clearly just as tired and worn down as his men. Still, he put on good spirits for his Queen.

"Captain Algren," Elsa said, a note of worry in her voice, while taking a seat. "Is everything alright?"

"We've been out of the storm for a few hours now." That should have been happy news, but he didn't look happy. "It's been this fog ever since, and we have no way to tell just how far off-course the storm took us."

"I see," Elsa felt a lump in her throat.

"Never mind the danger trying to sail through this fog."

Elsa nodded. "Well, Captain, we're in no rush. Take your time and sail carefully. Albion will just have to wait for us a little longer."

"Aye, your Majesty." He nodded in agreement. "Would you care to join me for a cup of tea?" He asked as one of the sailors came up to the quarterdeck with a tea tray.

"That'd be lovely."

The Captain turned his attention to the nearest sailor in his sight. "Joakim, bring Anders down from Crow's Nest and get a fresh pair of eyes up there."

"Aye, Sir." Joakim made up a cup of tea for the Queen and passed to her. "Who shall I have replace Anders up in the Crow's Nest?" He then put two lumps of sugar into the next cup of tea and handed it to the Captain.

Algren took a sip of hot tea first before answering. "See if Christian is up to the task."

Joakim saluted his Captain. "Aye, Sir!" Suddenly, the boat crashed and Joakim flew sidewards over the railing of the quarterdeck and onto the main deck. Elsa fell out of her seat, her cup falling out of her hand. Hot tea split all over the deck and onto Elsa's hands. Captain Algren flew forward into the wheel, smacked his head, and crumpled to the ground.

"Shallow ground! Left side!" One of the sailors hollered.

Elsa scrambled over to the Captain and helped him to his feet. He held his throbbing head with his hand and tried to sturdy himself with the other. "Your Majesty, are you alright?" He asked.

"I'm fine," She said. Besides a little burn to her hands, she was alright.

"Captain!" One of the sailors ran towards the quarterdeck. "We've seem to hit shore, but I can't see a thing!"

It was then that orange lights appeared in the fog on their right side. At first, just one, but more came, mere seconds after the other until there were at least twenty or thirty of them.

"What is that?" Elsa wondered aloud, still clutching onto the Captain.

"It can't be," He uttered.

Suddenly, one of the orange lights came flying closer towards them. Before they could recognize it for what it was, the sails were punctured with the flaming arrow and were starting to kindle.

"Privateers?" The Captain said in disbelief. "In these waters?"

A frightening calamity of howls, screams, and cheering arose from the mist. It grew louder and closer. A large dragon figurehead, standing tall and proud with snarling teeth, appeared from the mist and crashed into the HMS Falken. It seemed to be some sort of ship, but it was ship unlike any of them had ever seen on the waters before.

Out of the mysterious ship, a large man, burly and wild, leap from the other ship with an ax above his head. As he came down, he cleaved his ax into one of the sailors and instantly killed him. His mangled cry only lasted a moment before collapsing on the deck dead. Elsa stood horrified at the sight, frozen in place.

Bloodlust and battle cries filled the air. More men, wild and brutish poured from their dragon boat onto the deck of the Falken. Her Majesty's sailors grabbed their sabers and rifles and began the counterattack.

Captain Algren pushed Elsa behind him and whipped out his officer sword. "Your Majesty, you need to hide!"

The push knocked some sense into her and she found her words. "Captain, I can't! I can't just leave you and your men!"

"You can and you will!" He shoved her to the ground and leapt over the railing of the quarterdeck to join the skirmish.

Elsa smacked into the deck floor, hitting her head. She blinked furiously as it seemed like she was seeing stars. She picked up her head, vision a little dizzy for a moment, to see a side wards picture of Arendelle sailors being torn apart by wild men dressed in furs, leathers, and wrappings while flames danced in the air. Once she gained her bearings, she scrambled to her feet.

One of the masts of the ship started to crack as the flames weakened it. It fell within moments, raining down fire with it. Elsa's hands went up before she could even think and a cold blast shot out of them. It didn't stop the mast from crashing down onto the deck and into the water, but it at least stopped the flames from burning anyone on the deck.

Somehow, the attackers hadn't seemed to notice her yet. She looked up and saw one of them run his sword through one of her sailors. She clasped her hand over her mouth and fought to keep tears from coming to her eyes. The sailor looked barely a day out of training—probably around Anna's age or even a little younger.

After the attacker stabbed the boy, he pulled his sword out and held it up in the air while he roared savagely. His attention then turned to Elsa.

She gasped as the man stared her down. His face though wearing a smile looked cruel and sinister. He took a step forward while keeping his bloodthirsty eyes upon her. Frightened, she took a small step back, but he continued to approach at a fast pace. Before she knew it, he was fast upon her. A hard ball of ice formed in her hand and without thinking much about it, she threw it at the man charging toward her. It did the trick. It cracked him across the forehead, right above the brow, and he dubbed over grabbing his head.

She nearly tripped over broken pieces of the mast, but she managed to flee back towards the Captain's quarters. She quickly opened the door and locked herself inside. She looked around the room for anything that might resemble a weapon. She only managed to see a dagger on the Captain's desk, more ceremonial than anything else. Next, she went over to the window and opened it. Soon, she began throwing out maps, papers, and documents that pertained to her purposes here. If Captain Algren was right about these men being privateers—pirates—then she'd give them no satisfaction of any useful information.

Soon someone started pounding at came to the door. Elsa continued furiously to throw documents out the window as fast as she could. The door pounded again. And again. By the fourth time, she heard a crack in the wood. She turned back, seeing that the ax blade had made it through. She closed the window and tried to put things back in order, making it look like she hadn't just been purging the ship. Three more heavy pounds came. Elsa closed her eyes, steeling herself for what was coming.

The bolts of the door gave way, and the door flew open. Elsa held up the knife as the strange men poured into the doorway. Leading the pack was the man she escaped from minutes ago by throwing a chunk of ice at him. He did seem to be bleeding a little bit over his left brow. This time, he approached slowly into the room carrying his ax at his side. "The fight's over, woman. Put the blade down."

Elsa didn't lower her blade, trying not to show fear, but her throat tightened.

Another man came into the room holding an ax to Captain Algren's neck. The Captain was weak and barely standing, clutching a bloody wound at his side.

"Don't hurt him!" Elsa cried out, dropping the knife to the floor. She raised her hands up, showing her open palms to the men. "Please, don't hurt him or anyone else! You can have anything you want just don't hurt anyone! Please! I beg of you!"

The man who stood before her was much taller and thicker than she could ever imagine a man to be. His black beard was long, thick, coarse, and tied with a small knot at the end. His eyes were a dark red color, almost like thickened dried blood. If Elsa thought his face was ugly, then the sight of his crooked, yellowed teeth baring at her made it even worse. He approached her, clutching a piece of tattered purple and green cloth. "What I want, woman, is to know why Arendelle's ships are in these waters?" He shook the flag in her face.

The man before her was speaking her language, and yet, something was unusual about it. He had a thicker and heavier accent, the likes of which she had never quite heard before. It reminded her of some of the elderly population up in the north country of Arendelle, but she couldn't be sure. She hadn't heard it since she was a child. Ironically, whenever her father or mother read stories of old to her, she imagined the heroes of those sagas sounding much like this stranger did before her. "Who are you? Where do you come from?" She uttered curious at first but hardening as she said the words.

"You're in no position to be asking questions," The man growled. In response, the other man who held onto Captain Algren pressed the edge of his ax harder into Algren's neck.

Elsa reached out. "Don't!" She had to stop herself from sending an icy blast out her hand, otherwise she might hurt the Captain in the process. She put her hands to her side in defeat and sighed deeply. "We are a merchant vessel from Arendelle North Trading Company on a routine delivery. We were caught up in a storm for about a day before crashing here…wherever here is."

The Captain looked at his Queen with a small furrow of his brow, but he didn't say anything. If he pointed out Elsa's half-truth, they all could be dead.

The man reached up and stroked his bearded chin. He began to pace around the room, slowing stepping closer to Elsa. Her eyes carefully followed him around the room. He circled around her, growing uncomfortably close. "That may explain someone like him," He nodded towards Captain Algren, who was still bleeding heavily at his side.

"But it doesn't explain you. Embroidered dress." He said as he stood right behind Elsa and tilted his head down, almost smelling her hair as he spoke into her ear. "Tall, proud posture." He reached up from behind and took a hold of her right hand. "Soft hands."

Elsa fought a whole storm of emotions and feelings all at once. Part of her wanted to explode with an icy storm that would blow them all away, but that would hurt Captain Algren. The other part of her wanted to disappear and hide, but her voice was needed. She fought past the fear that knotted in her throat. "My father…he…he…is the Minister of Trade…in Arendelle." That lie would explain her more regal appearance. "As his only child, I'm poised to take his place in our family's service to the Crown."

The man released her hand and made his way back to his companions. He seemed to have bought the lie that Elsa told, but she couldn't be sure. Elsa looked at the Captain again, who clearly was in a lot of pain. "Please take whatever you're looking for and let us go. We've done nothing wrong."

The man grinned like a wolf through his black beard. "That is where you're wrong, woman." He looked at the others and motioned them to continue. "Gather everything you can and tie up the survivors!"

The men roared in excitement and began to follow the orders they were given.

"No, wait! Please!" Elsa yelled out, but it didn't matter. The wild men charged forward and took a hold of her. Before she knew it, her hands were bound in ropes and her face covered in sackcloth.

The whole world went dark.


End file.
